Fresh anthrax infection reported; govt says many are panic-driven
The country remains on high anthrax alert as reports of fresh infections in different districts continue to swell amid significant fall in consumption of beef and mutton.
Three more people have been infected with anthrax in Meherpur and Lalmonirhat yesterday raising the number of confirmed infections to 523.
Among the fresh cases, two were found in Meherpur district and the other in Lalmonirhat, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) sources said.
Our correspondents from Lalmonirhat and Pabna reported 13 fresh victims of anthrax in the two districts. Seven people have been infected at Gilabari village of Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat yesterday.
Upazila Livestock Officer Mamunur Rashid said a sick cow was slaughtered twelve days ago and at least 45 villagers of 10 families consumed its meat.
Pabna district health department officials confirmed six human anthrax infections, including four children, at Boropathail village of Santhia upazila. Two cows died from the infection last week, they added.
Government officials said all the cases termed anthrax are not confirmed as many people are dubbing regular infections as anthrax.
Many meat lovers in the capital are avoiding their favourite foodstuff in fear of getting infected.
Number of cattle coming to the city has dropped sharply. Many butchers have hung ‘no meats available’ signs in front of their shops while others have barely managed to sell their stock.
A seasoned butcher from Moghbazar said he used to slaughter eight to ten cows on the night before Eid-ul-Fitr every year.
“I could not slaughter a single cow this year because there were no buyers,” he added.
City’s major cattle markets, which usually bustle with cows and goats, were also seen literally void of them. This correspondent found only one or two cows mooing in tents where over 150 cows are usually lined up for sale.
The Gabtoli cattle haat yesterday had very few cattle as compared to its usual stock. Traders told The Daily Star that most of the cows were taken back after Eid, which remained unsold for several days.
They appealed to the authorities to bring the situation under control before the Eid-ul-Azha as their livelihood depends on the sale of these cattle.
The few buyers who are purchasing the cattle still refuse to take those home without examination. The market authorities have brought a veterinary surgeon from Savar recently to make sure the cattle are being examined.
According to Bidhan Chandra Das, assistant director (health and administration) of Department of Livestock, about 34 cattle have died of anthrax so far. Another 67 infected cows have been slaughtered, he added.
Das described the current outbreak as the biggest in the country’s history.
Health officials are on high alert for the infection that has been confirmed in ten districts so far. Vaccines have already been sent to all the affected districts.
IEDCR director Mahmudur Rahman said all of these cases are not anthrax as many panicky people are dubbing regular infections or skin abnormalities as anthrax infections.
“Those cannot be confirmed as anthrax infections until comprehensive examination are done,” he said.
Photographs of the victims and their infected parts are scanned and sent to the IEDCR along with their medical reports, which are examined to confirm a diagnosis, he said.
“Almost 95 percent of confirmed infections have already been cured and the rest are under treatment,” said Mahmudur.
Anthrax is a potentially lethal bacterium that exists naturally in the soil and commonly infects livestock, which ingest or inhale its spores while grazing. It can be transmitted to humans who handle or eat infected animals.
